Bridge-truss.



E. BEARD.

BRIDGE TRUSS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1913.

WITNESSES INVENTOR E Bea/a THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHDTD-L|THL7., WASHINGTON. Dv c EDDIE BEARD, 0F FISHER COUNTY, TEXAS.

BRIDGE-TRUSS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

Application fiieaaui 21, 1513. Serial No. 780,108.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, EDDIE BEARD, a citizen of theUnited States, residing in the county of Fisher and State of Texas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bridge-Trusses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful truss, particularly intended for bridges but applicable also for use in various other structures.

The object of the invention is to provide a truss which will be reinforced by a steel cable extending between its extremities, the use of said cable making it possible to build the truss of much lighter material than would otherwise be possible.

Another object of the invention is to provide a truss employing one or more arch beams extending between the truss extremities, the arch shape of said beam serv1ng to give it a greater resistance against any breaking strain.

Finally the object of my invention is to provide a truss that 'will combine beauty and simplicity with strength and durability, and which may be assembled with comparatively little labor.

With these and various other objects in View, my invention has relation to certain novel features of the construction, an example of which is described in the following specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of a bridge, the platform of which is supported by two of the herein described trusses. Fig. 2 is a view of the same in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the same, the section being taken upon the line XX of Fig. 2.

In the accompanying drawing, like reference characters are employed to designate similar parts in all the figures.

Since the two trusses shown are identical in construction, a description of one will suffice for both. A pair of posts 1 are embodied in my truss at its extremities, and the upper and lower ends of said posts are respectively connected by beams 2 and 3,'the upper beam 2 having the form of a gradual arch. Any suitable joint may be employed to rigidly connect the extremity of said beams with said posts. At suitable space intervals, upright members 4 are extended between the beams 2 and 3. The upper end of each member 4. is rigidly connected with the beam 2 by a metal bar 5 of substantially inverted U-shape, the upper portion of said bar being made to engage ii the beam 2, and 1ts lower end portions being secured to the correlated post at each side thereof. The lower extremities of the members & are given a rigid connection with the correlated beams 23 by vertical. strips 6 formed of either wood or metal, which strips have their end portions respectively secured to the outer faces of the members 3 and 4. A pair of oppositely inclined brace members 7 are extendedabetween the beams 2 and 3 adjacent to each post 4, the members comprising each pair of said braces being respectively disposed at each side of the correlated post and being centrally bolted or otherwise secured to said post as indicated at 8. In each of the posts 1, there is mounted a horizontally disposed U-shaped fastening 10, and to these fastenings are secured the extremities of a cable 9 stretched taut parallel to the members 3 and passing through the middle portions of the members at. The floor or frame of the bridge may be constructed in any common and well known manner. In the preferred construction however the members 4% will be made to support the extremities of sills ll arranged in spaced pairs, the adjacent extremities of each pair being contiguous with opposite faces of one of the posts 4 and being bolted thereto as indicated at 11*. The members 11 project at their extremities some distance beyond the beams 3, and are connected to the adjacent posts 4 by inclined race members 12. The lower ends of said brace members are disposed between the correlated pairs of sills 11, as indicated at 12. The outer end portion of each member 5 will preferably be contiguous with the outer face of the upper portion of the correlated member 12.

In case my truss is formed of wooden beams and braces, the top and sides of the member 2 and the upper portion of the post 1 will preferably be covered with sheet metal as indicated at 13 thus protecting said beam from rain and preserving-it against decay.

The invention is presented as including all such modifications and changes as prop? erly come within the scope of the following claims:

What I claim is:

l. A truss comprising a pair of end posts,

beams rigidly connecting the extremities of said end posts, vertical braces extending at intervals between said beams, a cable extending between the end posts and passing through the center portions of said braces, and a pair of oppositely inclined braces extended between said beams adjacent to each vertical brace, the members of said pair being disposed at each side of the Vertical brace and being rigidly secured thereto at their centers.

2. In a bridge truss, a pair of vertical end posts, upper and lower beams connecting the posts, rertical and inclined braces connecting the learns, and a cable extending from one post to the other between the beams, said cable being under tension and in substantially a horizontal plane its entire length.

3. In a bridge truss, a pair of vertical end posts, upper andlower beams connecting Gopies of this patent may be the posts, vertical and inclined braces connecting the beams, a cable extending from one post to the other between the beams, and means mounted in the post for placing the cable under tension.

l. In a bridge truss, a pair of vertical end posts, a beam connecting the posts, a top beam arched between the upper ends of the posts, uprights connecting the beams and secured thereto. a metal housing incasing the arched top beam, and a cable extending horizontally under tension from one post to the other and passing through the uprights.

In testimony whereoi l have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDDIE BEARD.

Witnesses W. S. HARwnLL, E. R. VI-RTE.

obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. G. 

